The Journey Up the Central American Coast to Mexico
After Costa Rica, our cruise stopped daily at a port in a different country.
San Juan de Sur, Nicaragua
On Thursday, we arrived in Nicaragua. The infrastructure of Nicaragua is underdeveloped, so it is disconcerting to see never ending trash and shoddy construction, even at resorts considered to be more upscale. But there an abundance of beautiful landscapes and friendly people. We have decided to come back some day and take a more leisurely trek through Nicaragua to fully appreciate what it has to offer.
Coming into the port of San Juan del Sur, Nicacragua.
We stopped at a resort on Lake Nicaragua, the third-largest lake in the world. Here you can see the clouds falling over the cone of the volcano, like icing on a cake.
The lake was calm and the weather very hot. The lake waters offer refuge for many species of birds and assorted wildlife.
Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala
On Friday we had an entire day in Guatemala. Puerto Quetzal is clean, bustling, and orderly.
Being very familiar with Guatemala because of previous travel, we opted for an "on your own" shuttle to Antigua where we enjoyed a leisurely lunch with our friends from Posada La Merced. This is Adelaida with her son Daniel, whom we've watched grow since he was a four-month old babe wrapped in his mother's rebozo. Daniel is now 4 and will soon be starting school.
At sunset, we set sail for Mexico, our pilot boats guiding the Island Princess.
Huatulco, Mexico
On Saturday, we docked in Huatulco, Mexico. We were told that Huatulco is similar to the Acapulco of the 50s, and it is certainly benefiting from tourism. This really didn't mean much to me until I saw Acapulco. Real Estate development is booming here, and there is a concerted effort to attract Canadians... the prices of many condos are advertised in Canadian dollars on huge banners and there are frequent weekly flights from Toronto.
Huatulco is spread out over a 20-mile coastline that encompasses about seven bays, the principal ones being Bahia de Santa Cruz, Bahia Chahue, and Bahia Tangolunda.
The port has a strong military presence as there is a Mexican naval base nearby.
Looking down on our ship from the overlook at the Huatulco National Preserve.
A little bird told me a tip would be appreciated.
Alexander opted for an "eco-walk" and I for a trip into town, where my group was treated to a lunch of typical Oaxacan fare. Here is the restaurant's mascot.
This woman is wearing one of the typical costumes of Oaxaca.
Acapulco, Mexico
Early Sunday morning, we arrived in Acapulco, our final destination. It was a new experience disembarking in a foreign country. We were not able to get off the ship until about 9:30 a.m., since priority is given to folks who must catch a flight out of town. So there was a line (not too bad) to get off the ship, a line to go through customs once we had our bags, a line to get a taxi, and once at the hotel, the longest line of all to register, a process that took longer than getting off the ship and the taxi ride to the hotel. Alexander got into the "preferred customer" line with only one person ahead of him and I got in the long line with six representatives helping register guests. We made it to the front at the same time.
This was my first visit to Acapulco, and possibly my last. The city is so darn HUGE, with over 2 million inhabitants, not counting thousands of tourists. The infrastructure is clearly being stretched beyond the limits. There was far too much trash and filth on the streets, even in the "exclusive" Zona de Oro where we stayed. The noxious sewer gases emanating from some vents do not add to the ambiance. The hotel was a bargain ($85 a night for a suite on the 18th floor), but the construction gave us cause for concern... well done repairs shouldn't look like amateur patch jobs. Alexander swears he could feel the building swaying in the wind. Add cardboard towels and no hot water to the mix and we couldn't wait to get out of there the next day. Yep, I guess we are spoiled after the cruise.
The beautiful view from our balcony belies construction concerns.
For about $70, you can hire a taxi for four hours and see the major attractions. We had lunch at El Mirador, where the famed divers attract a crowd at 1:00 p.m. every afternoon. There are also illuminated performances in the evening.
The mosaic mural at Diego Rivera's former home is still spectacular, years after he created it.
From the Chapel of the Cross at Las Brisas, an American celebrity enclave, you can see the panorama of city.
This monument at the chapel, "Las Manos de la Humanidad" (the Hands of Humanity), reminds us that we have much in common with people the world over.
~ Lisa
Loved reading all about your trip. I'm glad to see that some of this beauty is being preserved for future generations in places like the preserve at Huatulco.
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